Super 14 Rugby

A call for Heineken Cup vs Super 14 play off

Glasgow Warriors coach Sean Lineen has called for the annual winners of the Heineken European Cup to go head-to-head with the Super 14 champions in a dream rugby showdown.

Speaking at the announcement that Edinburgh is to stage the 2009 Heineken Cup final, Lineen said a battle of the hemispheres was an obvious match-up while backing the Europeans to give a good account of themselves.

Lineen, who arrived from New Zealand in1988 and went on to gain Scottish caps on the strength of a Hebriddean grandfather before taking up his current position as Glasgow coach, said: “Home advantage would be important if a Northern/Southern Hemisphere match ever materialised.

“But if, for example, Munster were to take on Canterbury or Auckland in Limerick then I’d fancy the Irishmen.” he told the Scotsman

Such a vote of confidence reflects the growing feel-good factor in European rugby especially with an increasing number of players crossing the world to pursue their careers.

Son of an ex-All Black, Lineen admitted the Heineken Cup was attracting envious glances down under.

“My family look at the Heineken Cup and are impressed with the intensity of the matches and the variety of the competition compared with Super 14, where it is the same teams playing each other every season.

“A meeting of the two champions has plenty of appeal but the difficulties fitting such a tie into the calendar must be respected.”